Latest news with #ConeyBarrett
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Amy Coney Barrett Decision Gives Libs Win in Shock SCOTUS Ruling
Oklahoma will not be able to use government money to fund a Catholic charter school, the Supreme Court ruled after Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself from the case. In Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond, the Supreme Court rejected the proposal for St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School to receive direct government funding in a 4-4 split ruling on Thursday. In instances where the justices are evenly split, the lower court ruling—in this case, the Oklahoma Supreme Court—stands. 'The judgment is affirmed by an equally divided Court,' the one-page ruling simply said. It did not note how each justice had voted. The lower court ruled that plans to open the nation's first-ever government-funded religious charter school were prohibited by the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibits the government from establishing a religion or favoring one faith over another. While the split means the lower-court ruling stands, it does not set a precedent for other courts across the country to follow. It was not immediately clear why Justice Coney Barrett—whom President Donald Trump appointed in 2020—recused herself from the case, which meant she did not take part in oral arguments or the final ruling. The New York Times speculated that Coney Barrett's decision could have stemmed from her close relationship with Nicole Stelle Garnett, who was previously an adviser for the Oklahoma school. Coney Barrett and Garnett worked together at the Supreme Court in the 1990s before becoming colleagues at Notre Dame Law School. Coney Barrett has fallen out of the MAGA crowd in recent months after siding with her liberal counterparts in some high-profile cases. In one of those decisions in March, she sided with the court's liberal wing to block the White House's effort to freeze almost $2 billion in foreign aid. The decision Thursday prompted some MAGA supporters to label Coney Barrett a 'DEI pick,' referring to 'diversity, equity, and inclusion.' MAGA influencer Mike Cernovich wrote: 'She is evil, chosen solely because she checked identity politics boxes... Another DEI hire. It always ends badly.' The proposed St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School was set to be run by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa. It would have been the first school to teach Catholicism to students while receiving taxpayer funds. The original proposal for the school was approved in June 2023; Oklahoma's Statewide Virtual Charter School Board voted to approve the school in a tight 3-2 ballot after a nearly three-hour meeting. But the state's attorney general, Gentner Drummond, sued over the decision in a bid to prevent the school from opening.
Newsweek
22-04-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Amy Coney Barrett Sides With Liberal Justice During Supreme Court Hearing
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett appeared to side with her liberal colleagues while hearing arguments in a case that will determine the future of no-cost preventive care under the Affordable Care Act. Why It Matters The case, Kennedy V. Braidwood challenges the legal authority of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (PSTF), created by the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. The task force recommends services insurers must cover at no-cost measures including cancer screenings and HIV prevention drugs like PrEP. But the conservative Christian employers in Texas who brought the case, argue that the 16 members of the task force, who are appointed by the HHS secretary, are unconstitutionally appointed. The case will be consequential for the future of American health care. If the justices uphold a New Orleans-based fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in 2024, treatments that are now cost-free may become subject to payments. Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett testifies during the third day of her confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020. Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett testifies during the third day of her confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Pool via AP Coney Barrett, who was nominated by Trump in 2020, has emerged as a centrist judge in Supreme Court cases and has been criticized by Trump supporters for voting against her conservative colleagues in the past. What To Know The Court's three liberal members, Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson have all appeared to side with the task force while conservative justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch appeared sympathetic to the challengers, with Thomas suggesting Congress had never designated authority to run the task force. Conservative lawyer Jonathan Miller, who is representing the plaintiffs, argued that PSTF members are meant to be independent from political pressure. He said they could not simultaneously retain independence while being subject to supervision by the health secretary. But Coney Barrett said Mitchell's interpretation of the word "independent" was "maximalist" and pointed to the doctrine of "constitutional avoidance" which argues that if a statute is open to interpretation, the Court should pick an interpretation that raises the least constitutional problems—i.e. the Court should not interpret the word "independent" in a way that renders the PSTF unconstitutional. It is the latest in a string of decisions and comments by Coney Barrett which put her on a different path to her more conservative colleagues. In March, she expressed concerns about reviving the non delegation doctrine, as suggested by conservative judge Clarence Thomas. This doctrine, which hasn't been used since the 1930s, puts a cap on the amount of money federal agencies and other nonelected officials can raise through tax dollars. Coney Barrett said it would be ineffective and could weaken the power of government agencies. In April, Coney Barrett joined liberals as the sole conservative in opposing the Court's majority decision to allow the administration to continue deporting alleged gang members under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. What People Are Saying Matthew Mangino, a former district attorney in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania told Newsweek: "It may be a bit premature to suggest that Justice Amy Coney Barrett will vote against an attack on the Affordable Care Act, although her questions during oral argument seemed to imply her disagreement with former Trump lawyer Jonathan Mitchell's argument. "Coney Barrett has shown her independence. She has voted against Trump on key issues including his hush money sentencing, presidential immunity and cancellations of USAID contracts. As a result, she is already experiencing the wrath of the MAGA movement." Arthur Caplan, head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU Langone Medical Center, told NBC News: "This is a really crucial case. The price will be paid in dead bodies if the court rules against it." Daniel Grabowski, a lawyer with Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal advocacy group supporting the plaintiffs told ABC News: "Americans have the constitutionally protected freedom to live and work according to their religious beliefs, and governments exist to defend that freedom. We urge the Supreme Court to restore this accountability within the federal government and to the American people." Wayne Turner, a senior attorney at the National Health Law Program, a nonprofit group that advocates for low-income communities told ABC News: "The ACA's preventive services requirement has been a game changer, providing access to evidence-based preventive care and early detection of serious medical conditions. The ACA's coverage and cost-sharing protections are especially important for low-income persons, who will be harmed most if the Supreme Court refuses to allow the ACA provision to stand." What Happens Next A decision in the case is expected by the end of June.
Boston Globe
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Coney Barrett offers a glimmer of hope in fight against Trump polices
This case focused on the fate of Venezuelan immigrants who were rounded up and sent to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which gives the president authority to detain and deport citizens of enemy nations in times of war. Saying they were gang members, without providing any evidence in court or anywhere else, the Trump administration said that made them enemies, subject to deportation. Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up In a 17-page dissent, Sotomayor called that for what it is — baloney. As she wrote, 'even the majority today agrees … that individuals subject to removal under the Alien Enemies Act are entitled to adequate notice and judicial review before they can be removed. That should have been the end of the matter.' Instead, she wrote, the majority held that location of the court proceeding is what matters' without mention of the 'grave harm Plaintiffs will face if they are erroneously removed to El Salvador or regard for the Government's attempts to subvert the judicial process throughout this litigation.' Advertisement Sotomayor's dissent concluded with these words: 'The Government's conduct in this litigation poses an extraordinary threat to the rule of law. … We, as a Nation and a court of law, should be better than this.' Coney Barrett did not sign on to some of Sotomayor's more critical language about the Trump administration, but to Trump acolytes legal nuance does not matter. Also on X, Ann Coulter Advertisement Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah called Coney Barrett's position 'disappointing,' while Elon Musk commented 'Suicidal empathy is a civilizational risk.' I do not pretend to know what Coney Barrett really thinks about any of this or where she will end up on other cases involving Trump's power. She joined the majority of justices who For those bringing the fight to Trump in court, any show of bravery is welcome. 'Courage is contagious,' Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, told me. While we see a lot of people in positions of power bowing to Trump, 'It's really important that we recognize people who are standing up for the Constitution and rule of law. That includes judges, lawyers, law firms, and elected officials who are speaking out and doing what's right,' she said. Given Trump's attacks on the judiciary, it takes courage for any judge to challenge him, especially a conservative judge chosen by him for the highest court in the land. It may be false hope to think that Coney Barrett will be a key vote down the road when it comes to reining him in, but that's better than no hope. Of course, it will take two courageous justices, not one, to form a majority that can stop him. Advertisement Joan Vennochi is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘She is evil': Amy Coney Barrett under attack by the right wing after supreme court USAid ruling
Amy Coney Barrett, the Donald Trump-appointed conservative supreme court justice, has been branded a 'DEI judge' by furious rightwing figures, after she voted to reject Trump's attempt to freeze nearly $2bn in foreign aid. Coney Barrett, part of the court's rightwing majority, split with her fellow conservative justices this week. She and John Roberts, the chief justice, voted to leave in place a ruling from a US district judge which ordered the Trump administration to unfreeze the nearly $2bn in aid for foreign aid work that had already been performed, and that had been approved by Congress. The reaction from pro-Trump rightwing commentators and activists was swift. 'She is evil, chosen solely because she checked identity politics boxes. Another DEI hire. It always ends badly,' Mike Cernovich, a prominent rightwing influencer and conspiracy theorist, wrote on X, referencing diversity, equity and inclusion policies which Republicans have demonized. Fox News host Mark Levin claimed in an online post that Barrett had 'deceived people into thinking she was a reliable constitutionalist'. He added: 'The power has gone to her head. It happens with frightening regularity the last half century.' Laura Loomer, the rightwing activist who repeatedly traveled with Trump during his 2024 campaign, went even further. She posted a picture of Coney Barrett's family, which includes two adopted Black children, and wrote: 'Amy Coney Barrett was a DEI appointee.' Jack Posobiec, a popular Maga figure with more than 3m followers on X, posted that Coney Barrett was a 'DEI judge'. Mike Davis, who was involved in the effort to confirm Trump nominees Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh to the supreme court, appeared on Steve Bannon's podcast to add his voice to the criticism. 'She's a rattled law professor with her head up her ass,' Davis said of Coney Barrett. He added: 'As we work with the Trump 47 administration on the next supreme court list, we're going to be looking for more bold, more fearless, less DEI, and people who are, who are going to be more of a sure bet.' The branding of Coney Barrett as a liberal judicial figure will come as a surprise to those familiar with her work and legal history. Her appointment to the supreme court in October 2020 cemented the court's 6-3 conservative majority, and she voted to overturn Roe v Wade, which established the right to abortion in the US, in 2022. An analysis by the Empirical Scotus website found that Barrett voted with Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito – the court's two most conservative justices – more than 80% of the time in 2023. However before the vote to reject Trump's attempt to withhold aid, she had sided with liberal justices to deny Trump's request to delay sentencing in his New York hush-money case, and joined a dissent against a conservative-led decision which weakened rules on the discharge of raw sewage.
The Guardian
08-03-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
‘She is evil': Amy Coney Barrett under attack by the right wing after supreme court USAid ruling
Amy Coney Barrett, the Donald Trump-appointed conservative supreme court justice, has been branded a 'DEI judge' by furious rightwing figures, after she voted to reject Trump's attempt to freeze nearly $2bn in foreign aid. Coney Barrett, part of the court's rightwing majority, split with her fellow conservative justices this week. She and John Roberts, the chief justice, voted to leave in place a ruling from a US district judge which ordered the Trump administration to unfreeze the nearly $2bn in aid for foreign aid work that had already been performed, and that had been approved by Congress. The reaction from pro-Trump rightwing commentators and activists was swift. 'She is evil, chosen solely because she checked identity politics boxes. Another DEI hire. It always ends badly,' Mike Cernovich, a prominent rightwing influencer and conspiracy theorist, wrote on X, referencing diversity, equity and inclusion policies which Republicans have demonized. Fox News host Mark Levin claimed in an online post that Barrett had 'deceived people into thinking she was a reliable constitutionalist'. He added: 'The power has gone to her head. It happens with frightening regularity the last half century.' Laura Loomer, the rightwing activist who repeatedly traveled with Trump during his 2024 campaign, went even further. She posted a picture of Coney Barrett's family, which includes two adopted Black children, and wrote: 'Amy Coney Barrett was a DEI appointee.' Jack Posobiec, a popular Maga figure with more than 3m followers on X, posted that Coney Barrett was a 'DEI judge'. Mike Davis, who was involved in the effort to confirm Trump nominees Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh to the supreme court, appeared on Steve Bannon's podcast to add his voice to the criticism. 'She's a rattled law professor with her head up her ass,' Davis said of Coney Barrett. He added: 'As we work with the Trump 47 administration on the next supreme court list, we're going to be looking for more bold, more fearless, less DEI, and people who are, who are going to be more of a sure bet.' The branding of Coney Barrett as a liberal judicial figure will come as a surprise to those familiar with her work and legal history. Her appointment to the supreme court in October 2020 cemented the court's 6-3 conservative majority, and she voted to overturn Roe v Wade, which established the right to abortion in the US, in 2022. An analysis by the Empirical Scotus website found that Barrett voted with Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito – the court's two most conservative justices – more than 80% of the time in 2023. However before the vote to reject Trump's attempt to withhold aid, she had sided with liberal justices to deny Trump's request to delay sentencing in his New York hush-money case, and joined a dissent against a conservative-led decision which weakened rules on the discharge of raw sewage.
